Hanging up your boots

TheAnalyst_

Question for the players and ex players out there, well ex players really.

What age did you stop and why?

I'm 35 and I might have one more season. Ongoing issues with the neck/knee and the lack of time are making my mind up. Still I'd always imagine I will play again if the situation allows. Also it feels increasingly a bit offputting to spend so much time with lads in their early 20s.

jacothelad

TheAnalyst_ wrote: »

Question for the players and ex players out there, well ex players really.

What age did you stop and why?

I'm 35 and I might have one more season. Ongoing issues with the neck/knee and the lack of time are making my mind up. Still I'd always imagine I will play again if the situation allows. Also it feels increasingly a bit offputting to spend so much time with lads in their early 20s.

I stopped playing regularly when I was 37 although I didn't have any joint issues apart from a bit of a neck twinge. One guy that I know was still playing regularly when he was 57. I did play a few 15 aside low level games but I made the mistake the next year of agreeing to play a 7s tournament. Don't do it. Fecked.

If you give up, give up and enjoy the game as a spectator. You don't need to stop being active.

jack01986

I stopped when I was around 28 I wanted to give it one more season but I kept getting injured and recovery was taking longer and longer (subsequently diagnosed with arthritis in my hip) so stopped playing around Xmas that season. Was a bit crap as I think I was playing some of my best rugby but better for my body in the long run.

The Lost Sheep

Stopped playing at 22 and took up coaching then refereeing. Likely to start playing again in time. Still in 20s so loads of time

pickarooney

I srarted at 35 6 years ago and judging by somenof my team mates I could get another 25 years out of it. One guy broke his collar in three places at age 64 and was back in the pitch a month later. Hard as nails the ould lads.

salmocab

I stopped at 38 done my ACL and went back training when it was better on a Thursday night then my wife had a baby on the Saturday so I just thought what’s the point and stopped.

stephen_n

I stopped last year at 45, though I’m still on the fence to be honest. Thinking about maybe playing at a lower level next year. Or possibly even vets rugby, but neither of the clubs I’ve played for have vets teams, so not sure about how that works.

MiliMe

I last played a game 4 years ago, tore the acl. I got dragged in to play a game a few weeks ago, I'm still not right after it.

TheAnalyst_

I've an opportunity to play vets 10s next month and being the youngest at that bracket you might think it would be easy. But there's one team in this tournament that basically has the whole Tuilagi clan and a few recent England retirees. I'd find it safer to play higher grade open rugby than meet them.

tractorporn

I stopped playing last year at 38 played a few seconds games this year when they were really stuck but after the last one, a cup game, I was broke up till the following Thursday. I got out relatively unscathed and I'd say I've another season in me but I just don't have the time for training anymore and I'm not the type that holds fitness I need to be training. So I just bit the bullet and stopped.

chupacabra

Stopped at 16 after 2 consecutive ACL tears. Never got the proper treatment and im suffering for it now already at 30. The folly of youth...

salmocab

tractorporn wrote: »

I stopped playing last year at 38 played a few seconds games this year when they were really stuck but after the last one, a cup game, I was broke up till the following Thursday.

I found at the end that when I woke up on Monday morning the weight of the quilt on my joints was causing pain.

wp_rathead

Stopped at 18
Well I stopped really at 17 during the year was doing Leaving Cert
But i joined the rugby team in first year in college and stopped because
1) they were huuuuge
2) didn't like the "lad" culture

Guy:Incognito

At 37 I've no plans to retire . Though it is only metro div 7, so don't have to deal with too many ail lads running at me, but hopefully 3rd time lucky next year and we can win the final.:)

Having said that, we've a couple of lads 2 or 3 years younger than me retiring this summer.

joseywhales

I stopped at 25 , kept doing my ankles, couldn't rehab to the point that I could change direction at pace, kept happening and because I kept moving to different countries, it was too much to keep joining clubs and getting injured every season. Don't like playing with fear and if I can't step I'm pretty much useless. I think I could have got over it if I was dedicated enough. Bit embarrassing too, paranoia that your new clubmates think you are just soft.

Still say every year that I will play again, 31 now though, my dad played until 50 but he was happy enough to slog it out propping at lower levels for the craic of it.

I always say that I can just take it easy but I never can.

Tim Robbins

TheAnalyst_ wrote: »

Question for the players and ex players out there, well ex players really.

What age did you stop and why?

I'm 35 and I might have one more season. Ongoing issues with the neck/knee and the lack of time are making my mind up. Still I'd always imagine I will play again if the situation allows. Also it feels increasingly a bit offputting to spend so much time with lads in their early 20s.

17. Then took a long break gave it another shot at late 20's. Then into reffing. you could always try reffing or coaching?

A lot of teams at J4 level have lads over 35.

Trojan

Stopped playing regularly around 34, just the odd 7s tournament, which I had to stop at 38 due to ****ed disk. If I ever got the back fully sorted I might go back to playing 7s again, for the craic but maybe that's just optimism.

Oldest player I played with was in his mid (late?) 60s in Clontarf.

sydthebeat

Stopped playing at 18, took it back up at 36, now 41 and wish there was more of a vets scene down here to keep fit.
Ill be doing some tag during the summer, hope the tendons dont give me jip....

thebaz

I stopped at 25 - my last season was terrible - was drinking and smoking too much - and was permanently in bits all week with injuries - playing **** too constantly getting dropped - last game was a nightmare , hungover in an early game in howling wind and rain - after getting a roasting from a coach - before cup time - said my goodbye and that was that - played football after , which was much less physically demanding - and probably enjoyed playing more. At school level loved football and rugby equally - today my knee is wrecked from both - with arthritis - still swim and dont drink or smoke.

Losty Dublin

Stopped playing in my early 20's. Even then my neck, knee and back were not happy with the game so I got into the refereeing. I keep dreaming that I'll go back for a game or two but that's all it is; a dream. I've had breaks in the hand, leg and foot so there's no way I'd last a game. Even 80 minutes on whistle duty on a low league girls game or at tag requires a dose of ibuprofen tomorrow and a bit of ice on the knee.

locum-motion

I always used to say that I'd keep going til 40, but my knees had different ideas, so I gave up at 34 or so. Tried reffing a wee bit, but found it thankless and anyway you still have to run so the knees couldn't really handle that either.

I sail now!

I stopped playing at 31 due to injury but continued to be fit enough to play a few games.

College and distance stopped me playing for 2 years then, when I went back with senior squad, I was out too long and injury after injury (especially knees).

In your 20s you can dip in and out but in 30s any really long break and I think you're asking for trouble going back.

swiwi_

Personally I leave them fairly muddy outside the front door. Drives my wife nuts, who tends to hide them in the cupboard.

purpleisafruit

Was recommended to stop playing at 19 by knee surgeon after 2 ACL, an MCL, a PCL and cartilage operations. Started refereeing in my 30s and been at that for a few years now though can be difficult between work and 2 kids.

vintagecosmos

Im 31 getting a bucket handle meniscus tear removed on Saturday. Anyone have that? Were you able to go back playing?

kenmc

28. Separated my AC joint, had surgery in the summer, cleared to play in November but was going travelling in the following January so never got back into it. Spent the year travelling, lost over 20kg in weight/muscle/fat 97kg - 77kg, too light now for front row, not tall enough for 2/3rd row, not fast enough for the backs. Unemployable

Still miss it like crazy 13 years on